Adolescents more vulnerable to AIDS

Speakers tell workshop

The adolescents are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unsafe abortion, sexual violence and HIV/AIDS and the parents should guide them by hearing and valuing them, speakers at the Movement for Adolescent Health (Movah) Regional Dissemination Workshop 2007 said yesterday.
The speakers also said that the adults should not force their decisions upon the adolescents.
Japanese Organisation for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) organised the workshop with the support of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Around 37 participants from ten countries, including Japan, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Philippines took part at the workshop to share the experiences of reproductive health situation of the adolescents in those countries followed by the four-year project (2004-2007) on 'Strengthening advocacy for adolescents sexual and reproductive health programme through youth initiative.'
The workshop also aims at sharing the outcome, experience and lessons learned from the community advocacy through youth initiative for increasing access to young people to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) information and service in the two operation countries, namely Bangladesh and Cambodia.
While speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day workshop as the chief guest, Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Dr Mohammad Golam Mustafa Talukder said around 40 percent of the adolescents in the country does not have access to information about sexual violence, unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion.
Community level awareness raising programme and adult-youth partnership programme in this regard has brought good result in the project areas of Sonargaon in Narayanganj and Ukhia in Cox's Bazar, he added.
Programme Manager of JOICFP Nobuhiro Kadoi, UNFPA Representative Arthur Erken, Project Director of the Department of Youth Development (DYD) Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, Director General Mohammad Ismail Hossain and National Project Officer of UNFPA Dr Noor Mohammad also spoke.

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